Sunday, October 12, 2008

Power Team Elite: Airborne Infantryman Review

Power Team Elite figures are cool! Well, mostly...

In general, I think that the PTE figures are great affordable GI Joe-type figures in an otherwise 1/6th scale barren world. There are other manufacturers out there making 1/6th scale figures, but they are way out of range for the average consumer. With the economic situation as it is, I don't think many people will be investing in $100.00+ figures. I don't care how much I like the GI Joe Real American Heroes characters or how cool Sideshow's Snake Eyes and Cobra Commander look, I can't justify laying out that kind of cash for those guys and any subsequent GI Joe characters that Sideshow makes!

Plus, it's a damn shame that Hasbro is out of the 12" GI Joe business. Oh wait, there's the new 12" $15.96 molded-shirt excuses for GI Joes. No thanks. I'll stick with my collection of Habsro super-articulated bodied customs. Hey Hasbro! Bring back the SA body for GI JOE!!

Big Lots, Dollar General and Toy Liquidators are the only stores in the area that carry PTE figures and usually only during Christmas - no not X-Mas - CHRISTMAS!!! They are the only reason I visit these stores, especially Big Lots and Dollar General. Last year, the PTE guys were at $9.00; they've gone up to $10.00 this year.

Last year, I noticed the Airborne Infantryman figure at Big Lots. Accessories are somewhat blah, but the uniform really struck me. It's a MARPATcamo pattern! Very cool - a modern camo pattern at an affordable price. The accessories are standard PTE, designed for play and not extreme detailing. I bought 3 of these guys last year, primarily for the uniforms.

The rifle is nicely detailed. The clip in the gun is non-removable and that's just fine with me. The level of detailing is pretty decent and the gun is very sturdy, being made of tough plastic. The goggles are excellent - soft clear plastic with a painted frame. The ammo packs and the grenades are nicely detailed and the grenades fit snugly into the pouches on the sides of the ammo packs. The camel-pack is well detailed and fits good on the troop. The monocular that fits on the helmet is okay, kind of flops around too much. The extra stuff that snaps on the rifle - the grenade launcher and the site are less than desirable. I think I just tossed them. The boots are standard PTE, nothing special.

Here he is fully loaded and just wearing his uniform. My biggest problems with the PTE figures revolve around three issues. The first is the size - these guys are just too tall for my collection, they tower over any GI Joe. Yeah, I know, we are all different heights, but I like the uniform height of my troops. The second is the articulation. Granted these guys have better articulation than even the Hasbro super-articulated body, but the elbows and knees just move to really weird poses. The third is the head sculpts. Some are just plain strange and goofy - again, some of us are just plain strange and goofy, but I'm more partial to the Hasbro head sculpts. I did use four of the PTE head sculpts in my collection, this one featured here in this post, this guy, this guy, and this guy. I haven't quite decided how I'm using the troop in this review.

The best part of these guys is the MARPAT uniform. I was excited to get these uniforms on my troops. Here's one of my GI Joe's outfitted in the PTEMARPAT and assorted Hasbro gear. I created the look of this guy, but couldn't figure out who he might become or what kind of specialty he might have. I turned that decision over to the crew at Joedios.com and the result turned out to be High-Tower.

(So that's where that other set of leg armor is... sorry, just random thoughts...)